Unguarded
by Angel Leviathan
Summary: She was different on Earth.


Title: Unguarded

Author: Angel Leviathan

Spoilers: Anything, everything.

Season: Future

Disclaimer: Stargate Atlantis, characters, concept, etc, aren't mine.

Notes: Okay, this is very random, but I had to get the idea out of my head, even if it did take me nearly a week to shift it.

-

When she asked him to accompany her on a trip to her sister's for a 'family reunion' of sorts, John was more than a little apprehensive. It was only the second trip she had taken home, and, despite having formed what wasn't quite a proper 'relationship' with Elizabeth Weir, he felt it wasn't his place to intrude. When he refused, there was something about the way in which she nodded silently and turned away that made him reconsider. She ducked her head and hid her eyes so he wouldn't see the split second of what was almost fear staring back at him. Once he had said he would go with her, all she did was take his hand and smile gently for a moment, before walking silently away.

-

"It's only going to be my sister's family and my parents," Elizabeth explained as she swung the car down another side-street, "So you're not going to be ambushed by the whole family or anything…"

"Just how many of you Weirs are there?" he joked.

"Well, the five of us, me, my sister and our three brothers, parents, their families…you try being ganged up on by three boys who're determined to prove to you that spiders are harmless, specifically by dropping them down your shirt…"

"Lovely…" John muttered.

"Now you know why I had to become a diplomat."

"So you could talk them out of it?"  
"No," she grinned, "So I could curse them in languages they'd never understand."

"Of course…"

Elizabeth frowned momentarily as she slowed the car to a halt, pulling up alongside the pavement, "…I think this is it…unless she's moved again…"

"You called her yesterday, unless she's moved in twelve hours, I think we're good," he joked.

"You never can tell…"

"Living in Atlantis really has made you suspicious of everything, you know that?"

"Me? You were ready to knock out the officer that took your weaponry yesterday. What were you going to do; run amok in the SGC?"

"Yeah, well, we all know what happened one time we thought we were 'home'," John mumbled.

She reached across and covered his hand with her own, "I know…" she said softly, unbuckling her seatbelt with her other hand, "But this is Earth. I'm sure of it."

"How so?"

"The candy machine ate my money yesterday."

He frowned, "…So?"

Elizabeth smiled, "So, if this was a fantasy Earth, I'd have at least got my chocolate bar," she opened her car door, "Come on," she appeared to be finally excited about the visit; he had been getting worried, seeing her behaving strangely hesitantly about the whole affair, "Let's go."

"Do they know you brought me with you?"

"Yeah," she replied, slamming the door behind her.

He paused, "…In what capacity?"

"…Why?"

John slammed the door on his side, "Because I don't relish the thought of the 'what are your intentions toward my daughter?' speech from your father…"

"You're more likely to get that from my sister," she dared to laugh, "and I didn't tell them anything about anything, I said I was bringing a close friend with me."

"How close?" he grinned.

"John Sheppard, one would think you were afraid of meeting my family," she hopped onto the pavement and took his hand, "Come on, Major, its not that scary."

"Who said I was scared?"

"You're shaking."

"Am not."

"Are too."  
He paused, frowning in concern, "…Liz…you're the one shaking…"

Elizabeth glanced back at him, "…I…" she shook her head, "Never mind," she evidently didn't want to discuss the matter, but tightened her grip on his hand as she walked to the front door, hitting the doorbell.

"Calm down…" he whispered, standing behind her, head resting on her shoulder for a second.

She nodded once, and dropped his hand as the door opened, glancing back at him for a moment in apology.

"Lizzie!" a dark haired woman who could have only been a few years older than Elizabeth practically squealed as she opened the door, reaching out to embrace her sister, "Its so good to see you!"

She hugged the woman tightly, "I missed you!" the words almost turned into a sob.

"Hey, hey," Karrin stepped back, "No tears, its okay…" she laughed softly before hugging her again.

John tried not to stare, shocked to see Elizabeth nearly in tears just at the sight of her family. He'd never seen her like that, even when she was despairing over the latest Atlantis crisis; she always seemed to be able to lock her emotions away where nobody could catch her out.

She laughed, teary eyed, "I'm sorry," she stepped away from her sister, "I guess I missed you all more than I expected…"

"Aunt Liz!"

"Aunt Lizzie!"

Two small bodies ran past and through the door, throwing themselves at Elizabeth.

"Ruth, Marie, hey!" she bent down to hug the two young girls, "How are you?"

"We're good!" Marie, the younger of the two, nodded enthusiastically, "I'm learning about the Greeks in school!"

"I just started French," Ruth smiled, "It's a lot of fun. And Dad and Grandpa are out back burning the food…"

"As usual…" Marie mumbled.

"Well, who's this handsome man?" Karrin prompted, grinning.

Elizabeth released the children and smiled at John, "Major John Sheppard, meet my sister, Karrin and her daughters, Ruth and Marie."

He shook hands with Karrin, "Nice to meet you."

"Polite too," the woman quipped.

"Are you in the army?" Ruth questioned.

"Airforce," he answered.

"Wow! Do you fly planes?" Marie piped up.

He grinned, "Most of the time."

"Come on, come in, come in," Karrin gestured for them to come inside, "All the incinerating action's going on in the garden," she headed through to the kitchen, her daughters running after her, "John, you want a beer?"

"I, er…sure…" he nodded.

"Lizzie?"

Weir shook her head, "I'm driving."

"Spoilsport," she handed John a beer and headed through to the garden, "Guys, Lizzie's back!"

"Elizabeth!" an older, grey haired woman wrapped her arms around her daughter with a broad smile, "Come home more often!" she chastised.

"I know, Mom…but work-" Elizabeth returned the embrace.

"Work! Always work! Work, work, work!" Laura Weir shook her head, "Learn to relax!"

"Yes, Mom…" she grinned and followed the party into the garden.

"There's my Lizzie," a man John presumed was her father drew her into a hug, "What's your mother going on about this time?"  
"Nothing, Dad," she laughed quietly.

"Who's this?"

"Major John Sheppard," Elizabeth stepped back to stand beside him.

"Good to meet you, Sir," John shook his hand.

William Weir frowned as he shook the younger man's hand, "I haven't been called 'Sir' in quite a few years, son…" a hidden smile shone through his eyes as he glanced at Elizabeth, "Does this require the speech?"

"He's already prepared," she answered, "and no, you are not torturing him," she grinned, "Get back to your barbecue before James destroys the meat," she joked.

His eyes widened, "Good point…!" he whirled round and scanned the garden, "Family or not, James, you'd better not have ruined the food!"

"Hey!" her brother in law's voice rang out across the garden, "Its done anyway!"

Karrin interrupted them, "Good to know we should get to eat more than charcoal," she quipped, raising her voice, "Ruth! Marie! Dinner's ready!" she glanced at the table on the small patio, "…Huh. Lizzie, could you get the dessert from the kitchen?"

"Sure," she turned and slipped her hand into John's, dragging him behind her as he almost choked on his beer.

"What the-" he managed to utter as they entered the house, still a little stunned by the new mischievous Elizabeth Weir who had shown herself in the last few minutes. John placed his beer can on the counter as she searched for the dessert, smiling as she noted the kitchen blinds were closed.

"John?"

"Hmmm?" he turned back to face her as she shut the fridge door and placed a cake on the counter beside his beer can. Elizabeth smiled again and slipped her arms around his waist, brushing her lips against his at the same moment. That was all the encouragement he needed to kiss her passionately and without hesitation. It wasn't as if they hadn't kissed before, but neither of them had ever discussed those moments afterward, nor actively sought to initiate others. As she wove her arms around his neck they both heard a quiet cough in their vicinity.

Elizabeth broke away, trying to hide her blush and the fact that she was gasping for breath, finding her sister standing by the kitchen door.

"When you two are quite finished, we could do with that cake that's sitting there…" Karrin winked and let the door swing shut.

She laughed softly and rested her head against his chest, "…My family has the best timing…"

"I can see that," he kissed the side of her head and looped an arm across her shoulders, "Come on then Lizzie, let's go rejoin your folks."

Elizabeth picked up the cake from the counter, shooting him a glare, "Don't _you_ start that too."

-

He was content simply to watch her as she allowed the girls to chase her round the garden, smiling as she turned and caught Marie, swinging her into the air and laughing as she shrieked through her giggles to be put down. She was different on Earth.

"Aunt Lizzie! Please!"

"Nope!" Elizabeth whirled her skyward again, laughing all the while, "You asked for it!"

Ruth simply grinned, staring up at her sister.

"Help me!" Marie demanded, still giggling.

"Nu-uh," she shook her head, "You're on your own!"

"Ruthie!"

"I don't know…" the girl paused, feigning deep thought, "What do you think, Aunt Liz? You think she deserves to be let down?"

"Hmmm…well, I know there's only one slice of chocolate cake left inside…"

"What?" both girls practically shrieked as Elizabeth let Marie back to Earth, the two of them running for the house, trying to pull each other back as they did so.

John caught the look in her eyes even as she smiled, watching her gaze after the girls, thinking she wasn't being observed. Her smile faded and she sighed, the laughter in her eyes fading. She caught him staring and the smile was back, however fake he now knew it was.

Elizabeth joined him, taking a glass from her mother en-route, and leant against the wall, still smiling as the girls ran back out into the garden, Marie trying to catch her older sister and steal her portion of the cake.

"…She's mine, you know…" she said softly, the smile fading again.

"What?" John frowned.

"Ruth."

"What, you gonna hide her in your bag when you leave?" he teased.

"No," she shook her head, still not looking at him, "I mean she's mine. She's _my_ daughter."

He stared across at her, stunned, "…I…" he stopped, "You have a daughter?"

Elizabeth nodded and looked back across at him, "…Its hard to explain…its not that I didn't want her or love her…I just couldn't offer her a stable home. My partner and I split up before I even knew I was pregnant. And with being a diplomat and having to negotiate anything and everything all over the world…I couldn't take her with me and I couldn't quit my job…but I knew I couldn't get rid of her, I couldn't do it and I didn't want to do it. …So Karrin agreed to be her mother."

"…And Ruth doesn't know a thing?"  
She shook her head, "Karrin has been her mother, I'm her aunt. Marie is her sister," a smile crossed her face, "Karrin really does love her; in her heart _she_ is Ruth's mother. It wasn't as if I was a careless teenager. It was the right decision…"

"You honestly believe that?" John asked softly, still trying to process the information he had just received.

She nodded and entwined her fingers with his, "Yes. I don't regret it. If things had been different…she wouldn't have a stable home and family…and I wouldn't be where I am today. It just…" Elizabeth smiled again, "…It just suddenly hits home sometimes that that beautiful little girl is mine…"

"Aunt Lizzie!" a shriek from Ruth halted any further conversation on the subject, as the girl in question ran up and dragged Elizabeth away, her 'aunt' mock protesting all the way.

In those split seconds John knew she was telling the truth. The dark haired girl had briefly smiled up at him before turning her attention to her aunt; he'd know those eyes anywhere. The same as her true mother. Elizabeth span and laughed with the children in a carefree manner he'd never seen from her, eyes alight and smile unguarded.

Oh yeah.

She was different on Earth.

-

"…Why do you keep looking at me like that?" she asked quietly, in a worried tone as she gazed at him from across their hotel room. With her parents staying, Karrin already had a full house, and Elizabeth had assured her that they were fine staying at a hotel for the night.

John sat down on the bed, "I just realised there's so much I don't know about you."

"You're quite an enigma yourself," she pulled the baggy jumper she was wearing over her head, leaving her in a strap top. Elizabeth regarded him with a serious expression for a moment, "Ask me anything and I'll tell you truthfully."

"I have no right to do that."

"And I have no right to question you…so I haven't," she sat down on the bed with him, "…John…we knew this was going to be difficult…we both have things in our pasts we'd rather not go into…"

He exhaled, "You got to read a file on me. I didn't get a file on you."

"A file says nothing. They exist for record purposes, nothing more," she looked away, "I'd rather get to know John better. Not Major Sheppard."

John lay back on the bed, hands behind his head, "There's a hell of a lot of stuff you're not going to want to know."

She lay down beside him, "Try me."

"…Who knows about Ruth?" he suddenly questioned.

"My family, the state record services and the hospital where she was born," Elizabeth answered, unashamed, "And you," she added softly, "I'm just a name on her file…and that still says nothing truly of her or myself."

He realised then how much she must honestly trust him to speak truthfully to him of something that was kept only to blood relations and closely guarded records. She deserved nothing but he same in return. His file had the bare basics, a record of his deeds as a soldier, the 'Yes, Sir's' and the rebellions. Only he could speak of his life, as she spoke of hers. John shifted to his side, turning to face her, and quietly began to speak.

-

Fin


End file.
